Coaxial safe and arm device



Feb. 28, 1967 G, H, BECKER ETAL 3,306,207 v COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICEFiled Oct. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet l .INVENTORS GERALD H. BECKERDOM/NICK C. LUCENT/ EM o. W

ATTORNEY FIG. 1

Feb. 28, 1967 BECKER ETAL COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed 001:. 22, 1965 ON m:

i m9 m2 mm 1 Q2 N2 N2 m: 8 we 01 awn wm om 0 09m 0mm 2 vm on INVENTORSGERALD H. BECKER DOM/NICK C. LUCENTI ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 BECKER ET AL3,306,207

COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 3 EQ N55 9mm 39x I 5 N Go 39 may 39 all 9% 35 $9 0 29:6: Ham @9 9 QOQJ now; c00. mm mu u 8 5:5 EQ 39 Q2 89 II. E m NQNH :09 m $9 7 Q0: 00: no: 3: 0:3: 2E E9 #63 2% z wt fi IN V EN TORS GERALD H. BECKER BY DOM/NICK C.LUCENT/ ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 BECKER ETAL 3,306,207

COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICE Fild Oct 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 E O A (Da. 5 5 2 I g Qj s C Q 3 [L m 8 s a Q g] cu u) a 9 g; d 5 j Q' T ,-J 0 g8 S g .c 8 g N g 8 m g 5 b F 9 m g 3 III! g E J 5.x w o E 3 61 9 +3 3 0m m Q g 5 Q s u.

Q o o v l 2 g N 8 w w 8 :5 Q P- g Q g u D O E E 2 a (D JNVENTORS GERALDH. BECKER DOM/NICK C.LUCENTI Edda-K N D- W ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 BECKERET AL COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 22, 1965N. wE ow2m 35 N 55 5:5 N 55 6o: 5m 8 :8 Q: 39 $9 0 oo: mm m m wool -m5:5 TEE Fmo a mm INVENTORS GERALD H. BECKER BY DOM/NICKC. LUCENTIATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1967 G. H. BECKER ETAL 3,306,207

COAXIAL SAFE AND ARM DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 e Sheets-Sheet 6ATTORNEY.

Q wE RW MEE VQQ! TKC mm W: .V@ NCU 5: W m v w: w: W c 3: x 1 K 8 C 3: m23 LM mm. V9 (/0! we "am @2 N2 m: o w: 9% Pg ow 2 mm n: N: o 7 @m N 8m 3mfin in 5m United States Patent Ofitice 3,306,207 COAXIAL SAFE AND ARMDEVICE Gerald H. Becker, Morrisville, and Dominick C. Lucenti,

Fallsington, Pa., assignors to Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Bristol,Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,367Claims. (Cl. 102-70.2)

This invention relates to an ignition device and more particularly to anignition device which can be armed and disarmed from a point remotetherefrom.

Briefly described, an ignition device constituting a preferredembodiment of this invention is provided with electro-mechanical meansfor reversibly rotating two pyrotechnic detonators or sq-uibs within asealed housing from a position wherein they are respectively out ofalignment with two ignition or detonation trains attached to an end wallof said housing to a position wherein they are in alignment with saidtrains, the ignition device also being provided with switch means thatpermit said initiators to be separately fired and with a plurality oflocking and indicating means that guard against inadvertent actuationthereof.

It is a broad object of this invention to provide an improvedpyrotechnic actuator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety and arming devicethat can conveniently be armed and disarmed from a point remotetherefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an ignition devicehaving improved means for preventing accidental actuation thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a safety and armingdevice that is compact, reliable in operation, and adapted to with standcorrosive or other harmful environmental conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, inwhich reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of a safety and arming device constitutinga preferred embodiment of the invention, with a portion of the housingthereof removed so that internal components can be seen;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pre ferred embodiment,taken along the plane represented by line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment, takenalong the plane represented by line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment, takenalong the plane represented by line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIGUR'ES 5, 6 and 7 are schematic representation of electricalcomponents of the preferred embodiment, respectively illustrating therelation of electrical contacts and switches of the device when it is indisarmed, intermediate, and armed configurations;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment,taken along the plane of reference of FIG. 2 after a support member ofthe embodiment has been rotated 90;

' FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment, takenalong the plane represented by line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment, takenalong the plane represented by line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

Throughout the specification and drawings, like reference numbers referto like parts.

As illustrated in FIGS. -1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of theinvention comprises a substantially cylindrical 3,306,207 Patented Feb.28, 1967 housing, generally designated by reference number 10, whichincludes first and second end closures v12, 14 integrally joined toopposite ends thereof, as by means of welding. End closure 12 isprovided with a threaded hole '16 that is coaxial with housing 10 andwith two additional holes 18a, 18b each of which is spaced from thelongitudinal axis of housing 10 and extends from the bottom surface ofhole 16 to a point near the inner surface of said end closure. Thus endclosure 12 includes two relatively thin wall portions 20a, 20b.Threadedly engaged within hole 16 is a mounting plug 22 in which thereare two apertures 24a, 241). A tubular retainer 26a, 26b is positionedin each aperture 24a, 24b, each of these retainers being provided withan integral flange 28a, 28b which is locked between the end surface ofmounting plug 22 and the bottom surface of hole 16 when said mountingplug is tightened in hole 16. The outer end of each retainer 26a, 26b isthreaded. Each retainer 26a, 26b is also provided with two diametricallyopposed, longitudinally extending slots (not shown) at the end thereofwhich projects outwardly from mounting plug 22, and with a collar 30a,30b which, when it is screwed on the retainer, reduces the diameter ofthe aperture 32a, 32b in the retainer at the portion thereof adjacentsaid slot. Thus, a pyrotechnic train 34a, 34b, such as an ignition fuseof a detonating cord, can be positioned within each aperture 32a, 32band hole 18a, 18b as illustrated in FIG. 2 and thereafter locked tomounting plug 22 by means of collar 30a, 30b.

Disposed within housing 10 is a support member, generally designated byreference number 36, which comprises a cylindrical casing 38 havingfirst and second end plates 40, 42 integrally joined to opposite endsthereof. More particularly, end plate 40 is disposed adjacent first endclosure 12 of housing v10 and includes an integral portion 44 which, asillustrated in FIG. 3, has a generally semicircular cross-section andwhich projects from the end of casing 38 toward said end closure 12.Portion 44 of end plate 40 is provided with two flat surfaces 46a, 46b,between which is a recessed surface 48, and a first support shaft 50 isfixedly disposed within an aperture formed in said portion 44 andprojects from the end surface thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 2, shaft50 is journalled in a bearing 54 positioned in a hole centrally locatedin end closure 12 and is thus coaxial with casing 38 and housing 40.Likewise, a second support shaft 58 is fixedly disposed within anaperture 60 formed in end plate 42, projects from the end surface 62thereof, and is journalled in two bearing 62a, 6217 which are positionedin a hole 64 formed in end closure 14 and which are spaced apartlongitudinally thereof.

Disposed adjacent end closure 12 and positioned against the inner,longitudinally extending surface of housing 10 is a curved gear rack 66,this gear being mounted on end closure 12 by means of two screws 68 (seeFIG. 3) and spaced therefrom by two spacers 70 through which said screwsrespectively extend.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the teeth of gear rack 66 are equidistant fromthe longitudinal axis of housing 10 and extend over an arc of slightlymore than 90. Rotation of support member 36 relative to housing 10 iseffected by means of drive means comprising a reversible electric motor72 mounted within casing 38 of said support member. More particularly,motor 72 is provided at one end with two diametrically opposed,laterally extending support lugs 74a, 74b each of which is secured toend plate 40 by a screw (not shown). The opposite end of motor 72 isfixedly engaged in a hole 78 formed in a partition 80 which extendsacross the interior of casing 38 and which is joined to the wallthereof. As illustrated in FIG. 2, motor 72 is positioned in casing 39so that the longitudinal axis of its drive shaft 82 is spaced from, andparallel to, the common axis of support shafts 50, 58. A spur gear 84 isfixedly mounted on the free end of drive shaft 82 and engaged with gearrack 66 so that rotation of said drive shaft causes support member 36 torotate relative to housing 10.

In FIGS. 3, 7 and 8 can be seen two initiators 86a, 86b (eitherdetonators or squibs) that are respectively mounted in two holes 88a,88b extending through end plate 40. The axes of holes 88a, 88b arespaced equidistant from the common longitudinal axis of support shafts50, 58 and are separated by 180. In FIGS. 2 and 3 support member 36 isillustrated in a first angular position thereof relative to housing 10wherein initiators 86a, 86b are respectively out of register with theends of pyrotechnic trains 34a, 3412. More particularly, in said firstangular position of support member 36, the plane that includes the axesof holes 88a, 88b is disposed perpendicular to the plane that includesthe axes of holes 18a, 18b. When support member 36 is in said firstangular position thereof a spring-loaded ball detent 89 (see FIG. 3)mounted in a hole formed in portion 44 of end plate 40 is seated in anindentation (not shown) formed in the inner surface of end closure 12,this ball detent preventing movement of support member 36 relative tohousing 10 that could result, for example, from vibration of saidhousing but being adapted to move out of said indentation when motor 72is actuated to rotate said support member.

In FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 support member 36 is illustrated in a secondangular position thereof relative to housing 10 wherein initiators 86a,86b are respectively in register with the pyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b,the plane that includes the axes of holes 88a, 88b is coincident withthe plane that includes the axes of holes 18a, 18b, and one end of eachinitiator 86a, 86b is disposed adjacent the end of a respective one ofsaid pyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8, a disk-shaped panel 90 is disposedwithin housing 10 between end plate 42 and end closure 14, this panelbeing formed of an electrical insulating material and mounted on endclosure 14 by means of screws 92 which respectively pass through spacers96 and are threadedly engaged with said end closure. FIGS. 5, 6 and 7illustrate a plurality of arcuate electrical conductors 98 bonded to theface of panel 90 by conventional printed circuit manufacturingtechniques. All but two of these conductors are electrically connectedby leads 100 to other components of the safety and arming device whichare located outside housing 10 and which will be described hereinafter.In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 panel 90 is seen as it appears when viewed from aplane disposed between said panel and end plate 42 of support member 36,and these drawings also illustrate, in circular cross-section, aplurality of electrical contacts which will be described in detailhereinafter. The structure of a typical one of these electrical contactsis shown in FIG. 8, wherein it can be seen that a typical one of saidcontacts comprises a housing 102 mounted in an aperture in end plate 42and a spring loaded pin 106 that slidably contacts, as will be explainedhereinafter, at least one of said arcuate electrical conductors assupport member 36 is rotated between said first and second angularpositions relative to housing 10 and panel 90. Each initiator 86a, 86bis provided with a bridgewire connected by two leads 108a through 108dto two of the pins 106 of the electrical contacts mounted on end plate42, and as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 three leads 110a through 110cconnect motor 72 to the pins of three other of said contacts. All of theleads 180 which are connected to the conductors 98 mounted on panel 90pass outside housing 10 through one of two seal members 112a, 11% (seeFIG. 4) each of which is provided with a seal ring 113a, 113b and with aseal grommet 114a, 114b, said seal members being respectively threadedlyengaged in the outer end of L-shaped passages 116, 118 formed in endclosure 14 so as to extend between the outer surface thereof and acavity 119 (see FIG. 2) located in said end closure adjacent panel 90.

Mounted on support shaft 58 is a spur gear 120 which is held in fixedposition by a pin (not shown) that extends through holes formed in saidsupport shaft and spur gear. A cylindrical spacer 124, 126 (see FIG. 8)is also mounted on support shaft 58 between spur gear 120 and each ofthe bearings 62a, 62b in which said support shaft is positioned, and aretainer 128, attached to end closure 14 by a screw 130, holds thesupport shaft and its bearings, spacers and spur gear in place. Ahorseshoe clip 132 attached to the end of support shaft 58 facilitatesassembly of these components as a unit within hole 64 in end closure 14.As can be seen in FIG. 10, end closure 14 contains a hole 134 whichextends from the bottom surface of hole 118 to the opposite side of saidend closure and which communicates with hole 64. Fixedly positioned inhole 134 is a cylindrical insert 136 having an integral flange 138 atone end thereof, this flange being seated against the bottom surface ofhole 118. An opening 140 is formed in the wall of insert 136 adjacentflange 138 so that spur gear 116 can engage a gear rack 142 slidablymounted in said insert. A portion of gear rack 142 projects laterallyfrom end closure 14 and a transverse member 143 is integrally joined tothe outer end of said gear rack and to one end of a bellows 144 which ispositioned around the projecting portion of said gear rack. The otherend of bellows 144 is fixedly connected to a cylindrical member 146 thatis in turn attached to end closure 14 by means of plurality of screws148. To seal the interior of bellows 144 and housing 10, a seal ring 149is disposed between end closure 14 and member 146. A cap, generallydesignated by reference number 150, is adapted to be detachablyconnected to the outer end (i.e., the end remote from end closure 14) ofmember 146 by means of a bayonet connection between slots 152 formed insaid cap and a plurality of pins 154 fixedly mounted in holes in saidmember 146 so as to project perpendicularly from the outer surfacethereof. When cap is moved into engagement with member 146, a centrallydisposed projection 156 thereof contacts the member 143 of gear rack 142and moves the opposite end of said gear rack into contact with -acontact switch generally designated by reference number 158 (see FIG.4). Spur gear 120 is simultaneously rotated by gear rack 142 so thatsupport member 36 is rotated to the previously described first angularposition thereof relative to housing 10. Contact switch 158 comprises aspring arm 160 one end of which is attached to an electrical insulatingmember 162 and the other end of which is seated against a contact member164 until the spring arm is contacted by gear rack 142. Contact member164 is also attached to insulating member 162, which is itself mountedon the flange 138 of insert 136 by suitable means. As will be explainedin detail hereinafter, contact switch 158 is electrically connected toone of the arcuate conductors mounted on panel 90 and to components ofthe safety and arming device which are located outside housing 10.

As pointed out hereinbefore, FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate support member 36in a first angular position thereof relative to housing 10 and panel 90wherein the initiators 86a, 86b are respectively out of register withthe ends of pyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b and wherein the plane thatincludes the axes of the holes 88a, 88b in which said initiators arepositioned is disposed perpendicular to the plane that includes the axesof the holes 18a, 18b in which the ends of said pyrotechnic trains arepositioned. When initiators 86a, 86b and pyrotechnic trains 34a, 3412are in this configuration, the safety and arming device is disarmed asindicated by the letter S which is placed on casing 38 of support member36 so as to register with a window 161 (see FIG. 1) in housing 10, andthe aforementioned arcuate conductors 98 mounted on panel 90 and thepins 106 of the electrical contacts mounted on end plate 42 of supportmember 36 are oriented as shown in FIG. 5. More specifically, pins 106a,106b are in contact with conductor 9811, with leads 108a, 108bconnecting these pins to the bridgewire of initiator 86a; and pins 1060and 10611 are in contact with conductor 98b, with leads 1080 and 10811connecting these pins to the bri-dgewire of initiator 86b. Therefore,when the safety and arming device is in a disarmed condition, both ofthe initators 86a, 86b are shorted by conductors 9811, 98b respectively.Pin 1062 is in contact with conductor 98c, with lead 110a connectingthis pin to a first solid state diode 170a that is mounted within thecasing of mot-or 72 and disposed so as to pass electric current in thedirection indicated by the schematic symbol for the diode. Pin 106 ispositioned near, but is not in contact with, conductor 98d, with lead110b conmeeting this pin to a second solid-state diode 17% that is alsomounted within the casing of motor 72 and disposed so as to passelectric current in the direction indicated. Pin 106g is in contact withconductor 9812, with lead 1100 connecting this pin to motor 72. Diodes1700, 170b are connected to each other and to motor 72 by leads 174a,174b and 176. In addition, two pins 106b, 1061 are in contact withconductors 98f, 98g and are connected together by a lead 178.

As has been mentioned hereinbefore, all but two of the conductors 98(namely, conductors 98a, 98b) are connected by leads 100' to componentsof the safety and arming device which are located outside housing 10.More specifically, it can be seen in FIG. 5 that conductor 98c isconnected by lead 10011 to one pole 10801 of a doublepole, double throwswitch, generally designated by reference number 182, that canadvantageously be located at a point remote from the safety and armingdevice. It can be seen in the same drawing that conductor 98d isconnected by lead to a second pole 18% of said switch. The two switcharms 18411, 184b of switch 182 are respectively connected to oppositeends of a battery 186 or other source of electric current. Conductor 98ais connected by lead 1000 to the third and fourth poles 180e, 18011 ofswitch 182. More particularly, lead 1000 connects conductor 98:: tocontact member 164 of switch 158 mounted within passage 118 in endclosure 14, and a lead 188 connects spring arm 160 of said switch 158 totwo leads 190a, 190b which bridge the third and fourth poles 1800, 1800!of switch 182. As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the safety and armingdevice is in a disarmed condition the switch arms 18411, 18412 of switch182 respectively contact poles 1800, 180b of said switch. It will beseen that pole 180b of switch 182 is thus connected to conductor 981iand, since this conductor is not in contact with pin 106 motor 72 cannotbe energized. Furthermore, when the device is disarmed, cap 150 issecured to the end of member 146 and, as has been explainedhereinbefore, gear rack 142 disengages spring arm 160 of switch 158 fromcontact member 164 so that the circuit path between motor 72 and pole180a of switch 182 is also open. Two leads 100d, 1002 are respectivelyconnected to conductors 98f, 98g and to a circuit that includes anincandescent light 192, preferably located near switch 182, and abattery 194 or other source of electric current. Conductors 987, 98g areelectrically connected by pins 106/1, 106i and lead 178, and thereforelight 192 is on when the safety and arming device is disarmed. It willbe noted that conductors 98h through 98111 are not in contact with anyof the pins 106 when the safety and arming device is disarmed.

When the safety and armed device is to be armed, cap 150 is detachedfrom member 146, whereupon bellows 144 moves gear rack 142 a sufficientdistance toward the outer end of said member 146 to permit spring arm160 of switch 158 to contact member 164. The switch arms 184a, 184b ofswitch 182 are then brought into contact with poles 18011, 18011 of saidswitch respectively (see FIG. 6) to permit electric current to flow tomotor 72 through leads 19% and 188, switch 158, lead 1000, conductor982, pin 106g, and lead 1101', and from said motor back to the batterythrough leads 176 and 17411, diode 170a, lead 110a, pin 106e, conductor98c and lead 10011, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 6. Flow of electriccurrent through motor 72 as described causes its drive shaft 82 torotate in such a direction that support member 36 is rotatedcounterclockwise as viewed from the plane designated 33 in FIG. 3. Thepins 106 of the electrical contacts mounted on end plate 42 of supportmember 36 are therefore also moved counterclockwise from the positionsthereof illustrated in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6 the relation of the conductors98 on .panel and pins 106 is illustrated for a position of supportmember 36 relative to housing 10 that is approximately halfway betweenthe previously described first and second angular positions of saidsupport member. Thus it will be recognized by inspection of FIG. 6 thatpin 106], which is not in contact with conductor 9811' when the safetyand arming device is disarmed, is rotated counterclockwise and therebybrought into contact with said conductor 9811 when motor 72 is energizedto rotate the support member from the first angular position thereof.Rotation of support member 36 also disengages pins 10611, 1061 fromconductors 981 98g, thereby turning off light 192 and indicating to anoperator that the safety and arming device has been actuated. Motor 72continues to rotate support member 36 while pins 106e and 106g slidealong conductors 98c and 98e respectively. The length of conductor 980is such that pin 106e disengages from conductor 980 when support member36 is a short distance from the previously described second angularposition thereof relative to housing 10. However, the inertia of supportmember 36 causes it to rotate after motor 72 is disconnected frombattery 186 as a result of disengagement of pin 106s and conductor 98c,and when said support member reaches the aforementioned second angularposition thereof, ball detent 89 enters an indentation (not shown)formed in the inner surface of end closure 12, thereby stopping saidsupport member. To further ensure that support member 36 is stopped atthe proper position for bringing initiators 86a, 86b into register withthe ends of pyrotechnic trains 3411, 34b respectively, a pin 199 (seeFIG. 9) is mounted on end closure 12 in such a position that surface 46bof portion 44 of end plate 40 contacts said pin when support member 36reaches the second angular position thereof relative to housing 10 (seeFIGS. 3 and 8). As pointed out hereinbefore, when support member 36 isin its second angular position, initiators 86a, 86b are respectivelyaligned with the ends of pyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b and the safety andarming device is in an armed condition. As illustrated in FIG. 7, pins106a, 106b are then respectively in contact with conductors 9811, 981',which are connected by leads 100g to a circuit including a switch,generally designated by reference number 196, and a battery 198 or othersource of electric current. Likewise, pins 1060, 10611 are respectivelyin contact with conductors 98f, 98k, which are connected by leads 10011,1001 to a circuit including a switch, generally designated by referencenumber 200, and a battery 208 or other source of electric current.Obviously switches 196, 200 can be located at a point remote fromhousing 10 and can be closed at any predetermined time to actuateinitiators 86a, 86b either separately or simutlaneously. The gasesgenerated by said initators 86a, 86b rupture the thin wall portions 20a,20b of end closure 12 and either ignite or detonate pyrotechnic trains34a, 34b depending upon the material of which said trains are formed. Itcan also be seen in FIG. 7 that in the armed condition of the safety andarming device pins 106b, 1061 are respectively in contact withconductors 981, 98111 which are connected by leads 100i, 100k to acircuit including an incandescent light 204, preferably located nearlight 192 and switch 182, and a battery 206 or other source of electriccurrent.

7 Since pins 10611, 106i are bridged by lead 178, light 204 is on whenthe safety and arming device is armed. Also a letter A is located oncasing 38 of support member 36 so as to appear at window 161 when saidsupport member is in the second angular (or armed) position thereofrelative to housing 10.

If it is desired to rotate support member 36 from the second angularposition to the first angular position thereof relative to housing 10 tothereby ensure that pyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b cannot be ignited ordetonated by initiators 86a, 86b, an operator can return switch arms184a, 18412 to poles 180b, 1800 of switch 182 (this position of saidswitch arms being illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 7), whereuponelectric current will flow from battery 186 to motor 72 through lead100b, conductor 98d, pin 106), lead 110b, diode 17012, and leads 174thand 176, and from motor 72 back to said battery through lead 110e, pin106g, conductor 982, lead 10%, switch 158, and leads 188 and 190a (thedirection of this current flow :being illustrated by broken line arrowsin FIG. 7). Since the direction of current flow to motor 72 is oppositethat shown in FIG. 6, the motor is energized to rotate its drive shaft82 in a direction that returns support member 36 to the first angularposition thereof relative to housing 10. It will be understood by theforegoing description of FIG. that the inertia of support member 36causes it to continue to rotate after pin 106 is disengaged fromconductor 98d, motion of said support member being arrested when ba-lldetent 89 enters the indentation in end closure 12 that cooperates withsaid ball detent to hold the support member in the first angularposition thereof. As can be seen in FIG. 3, surface 46a of portion 44 ofend plate 40 contacts pin 199 when support member 36 reaches its firstangular position relative to housing 10.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of the preferredembodiment of the invention that the invention provides a safety andarming device Which can convenienly be armed and disarmed from a pointthat is remote therefrom. Furthermore, by simply attaching cap 150 tothe device, an operator can rotate support member 36 so that theinitiators 86a, 86b mounted thereon are removed from register with thepyrotechnic trains 34a, 34b, thus ensuring that said trains cannot beignited or detonated while he is near the device. Other advantages ofthe disclosed safety and arming device include its sealed constructionand compactness, and its adaptability for use where more than oneinitiator must be included in an actuator to increase its reliability.It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art of pyrotechnicactuators that various modifications can be made in the disclosed safetyand arming device without departing from the scope of the invention, forthe limits which reference must be made to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety and arming device comprising:

a housing having an end closure at each end thereof;

at least one pyrotechnic train having one end thereof connected to saidhousing;

a support member mounted within said housing for rotation relativethereof; a curved igear rack mounted Within said housing; drive meanscomprising a reversible electric motor mounted on said support memberand a gear mounted on the drive shaft of said motor and engaged withsaid gear rack, whereby said support member is rotated between first andsecond angular positions thereof relative to said housing when saidmotor is operated;

an initiator mounted on said support member so as to be respectively outof and in register with the end of said pyrotechnic train when saidsupport member is in said first and second angular positions;

an electrically-insulative panel mounted within said housing;

first actuation means comprising a plurality of electrical conductorsmounted on said panel, a plurality of electrical contacts each of whichis electrically connected to said motor and mounted on said supportmember so as to slidably contact at least one of said conductors whensaid support member is rotated between said first and second angularpositions, and electrical power supply and switch means electricallyconnected to said conductors, said switch means being remote from saidhousing and adapted to selectively pass electric current to differentones of said conductors so that said motor can be energized toreversibly rotate said support member to said first and second angularpositions, said first actuation means being arranged so that flow ofelectric current from said power supply to said motor is terminated whensaid support member is rotated to first and second angular positions;and

second actuation means comprising a pair of electrical conductorsmounted on said panel, a pair of electrical contacts electricallyconnected to said initiator and mounted on said support member forcontact with said pair of conductors when said support member is in saidsecond angular position, and electrical power supply and switch meanselectrically connected to said pair of conductors, said switch meansbeing remote from said housing.

2. A safety and arming device comprising:

a cylindrical housing having first and second end closures connected toopposite ends thereof;

a pair of pyrotechnic trains each having one end thereof connected tosaid first end closure;

a support member comprising a cylindrical casing coaxially disposedwithin said housing, a first end plate connected to one end of saidcasing and disposed adjacent said first end closure, a second end plateconnected to the other end of said casing and disposed adjacent saidsecond closure, and first and second support shafts respectivelyconnected to said first and second end plates and journalled in saidfirst and second end closures, said support shafts being coaxial withsaid casing;

a curved gear rack mounted within said housing between said first endclosure and said first end plate;

drive means comprising a reversible electric motor mounted within saidcasing with the drive shaft thereof extending through said first endplate and a first gear mounted on the free end of said drive shaft andengaged with said curved gear rack whereby said support member isrotated between first and second angular positions thereof relative tosaid housing when said motor is operated;

a pair of initiators mounted on said support member so as to berespectively out of and in register with the ends of said pyrotechnictrains when said support member is in said first and second angularpositions;

an electrically-insulative panel mounted within said housing adjacentsaid second end closure;

first actuation means comprising a plurality of electrical conductorsmounted on said panel, a plurality of electrical contacts each of whichis electrically connected to said motor and mounted on said second endplate so as to slidably contact at least one of said conductors whensaid support member is rotated between said first and second angularpositions, and electrical power supply and means electrically connectedto said conductors, said switch means being remote from said housing andadapted to selectively pass electric current to different ones of saidconductors so that said motor can be enengized to reversibly rotate saidsupport member to said first and second angular positions, said firstactuation means being arranged so that flow of electric current fromsaid power supply to said motor is terminated when said support memberis rotated to said first and secmeans for locking said gear rack againstsaid contact nd angular positions; and switch. second actuation meanscomprising a plurality of elec- 4. A safety and arming device as definedin claim 3 trical conductors mounted on said panel, a plurality wherein:

of electrical contacts, pairs of which are respectively 5 electricallyconnected -to said initiators and mounted on said second end .plate soas to contact different a portion of said gear rack projects laterallyfrom said second end closure; said means for biasing said gear rackcomprising a pairs of said conductors when said support member is insaid second angular position, and electrical power supply and switchmeans electrically connected bellows positioned around the projectingportion of said gear rack and a cylindrical member positioned aroundsaid bellows and attached to said second to said conductors, said switchmeans being remote end closure, said bellows 'being connected at onefrom said housing and adapted to selectively pass end to saidcylindrical member and at the other end electric current to differentpairs of said conductors to the outer end of said gear rack; and

so that said initiators can thereby be separately said means for lockingsaid gear rack comprises a cap actuated. adapted to be detachablyconnected to the outer end 3. A safety and armingdevice as defined inclaim 2 of said cylindrical member and a central projection including:connected to said cap so as to contact said gear rack a contact switchmounted on said second end closure and electrically connected to saidmotor and said first actuation means, said contact switch being adapted,when open, to electrically disconnect said first actuation means fromsaid motor;

a second gear mounted on said second support shaft;

a gear rack slidably mounted on said second end closure and engaged withsaid second gear, said gear rack lbeing dis-posed so that it can bemanually moved into contact with said contact switch to therebyelectrically disconnect said first actuation means from said motor; D

means for resiliently biasing said gear rack away from BENJAMIN CHELT,Przmary Examiner.

said contact switch; and W. C. ROCH, Assistant Examiner.

and lock it against said contact switch when said cap is connected tosaid cylindrical member.

5. A safety and arming device as defined as claim 4 including means forindicating at a point remote from said housing that said support memberis in said second angular position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,954,734 10/1960Kendall et a1. 102-70.2 3,052,162 9/1962 Rovin 102-702 X

1. A SAFETY AND ARMING DEVICE COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING AN ENDCLOSURE AT EACH END THEREOF; AT LEAST ONE PYROTECHNIC TRAIN HAVING ONEEND THEREOF CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING; A SUPPORT MEMBER MOUNTED WITHINSAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION RELATIVE THEREOF; A CURVED GEAR RACK MOUNTEDWITHIN SAID HOUSING; DRIVE MEANS COMPRISING A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTORMOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND A GEAR MOUNTED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT OFSAID MOTOR AND ENGAGED WITH SAID GEAR RACK, WHEREBY SAID SUPPORT MEMBERIS ROTATED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND ANGULAR POSITIONS THEREOF RELATIVETO SAID HOUSING WHEN SAID MOTOR IS OPERATED; AN INITIATOR MOUNTED ONSAID SUPPORT MEMBER SO AS TO BE RESPECTIVELY OUT OF AND IN REGISTER WITHTHE END OF SAID PYROTECHNIC TRAIN WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IS IN SAIDFIRST AND SECOND ANGULAR POSITIONS; AN ELECTRICALLY-INSULATIVE PANELMOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING; FIRST ACTUATION MEANS COMPRISING APLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS MOUNTED ON SAID PANEL, A PLURALITY OFELECTRICAL CONTACTS EACH OF WHICH IS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAIDMOTOR AND MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER SO AS TO SLIDABLY CONTACT ATLEAST ONE OF